My secretary replaced me on my wedding day, walking down the aisle in a white wedding gown.

The man I had loved for ten years threw the bridesmaid dress in my face and ordered me to wear it instead.

"She is the bride now. You'll be next," he said coldly.

My grandmother was so furious that she fell ill on the spot. Meanwhile, he and the secretary smiled brightly as they completed the wedding ceremony.

After the grand wedding, the secretary posted photos of herself in her wedding gown on social media. The comments were overwhelmingly congratulatory.

[Today is such a beautiful day, I finally got what I wanted. I hope those who try to ruin someone else's relationship will wake up soon.]

She wrote.

Chester Morrison replied to her post:

[It is a great day. Don't ruin your good mood by some trash.]

When I returned home, holding my grandmother's photo, who had passed away, I found them tangled together on the bedspread my grandmother had lovingly sewn for me, the one with a pair of Swan that symbolizes eternal love.

I finally got home at 2 a.m. after handling my grandmother's cremation arrangements.

I have night blindness, and as soon as I entered the house, I tripped over something. Thankfully, I managed to turn just in time, and nothing I was holding hit the ground. However, my lower back slammed hard against the sharp edge of a step.

I fumbled to turn on the light and noticed a black stocking at my feet, covered in holes. Immediately, I thought of Susan Koster. She was Chester Morrison's secretary and personal assistant, always available every hour of the day.

I had expressed my discomfort, but Chester scolded me for being petty.

"You should stop looking at people through your narrow, twisted views. Susan is the most professional secretary I've ever seen. You wouldn't stand a chance to be with me if I was really into her."

I convinced myself that he loved me.

However, as I held my grandmother's photo at this moment, I'd make space for Susan.

Thinking of my grandmother, I quickly checked the photo to make sure it was not damaged. Even though I did not damage it, it was my grandmother's last photo.

The photography studio had repeatedly warned me, "Take good care of it—this is the last copy. It's extremely difficult to restore it."

I was relieved as the photo was unharmed.

Then, I heard sounds of uncontrolled moaning. Through the slightly open door, I saw Chester and Susan, tangled together on the bedspread my grandmother had sewn for me.

The dim lights only added to the scene. Susan was on top, moving up and down, her face showing clear signs of desire.

When Chester noticed me standing at the door, he stared at me with a challenging gaze, his eyes glowing red with desire.

I froze for a moment. To my surprise, I felt heartbroken again. I thought I would not be affected anymore.

Five minutes later, Chester walked out, fully dressed. He was holding a cigarette and casually sat down on the couch.

Only when the cigarette was fully smoked did he finally glance at me and the photo I was holding.

"Is she really dead?" he said, shrugging. "Well, sorry for your loss."

I looked at him, anger blazing in my eyes.

On the day of the wedding, I cried and begged him to save my grandmother, but he looked at me with contempt instead.

He said my grandmother was pretending. Even if she really died, it was just her time, and she was already old enough to go.

Even so, my grandmother was known for her longevity. Doctors had said she could live another 30 years. It was him who had cruelly strangled my grandmother of her chance at survival.

What was supposed to be a happy day turned into the day my grandmother left me.

As I thought about the unborn baby within me, I found it all laughable.

"Chester, do you know? I'm—"

"Chester, I feel weak," interrupted Susan as she walked out and leaned into Chester's arms, her face still flushed from their earlier actions.

Chester quickly helped her sit down and turned to me. "What did you want to say again?"

I laughed bitterly at the sight, and a wave of deep exhaustion washed over me.

I looked at him and said, "Let us break up. And not meet each other for good."

To my surprise, I felt strangely calm.

He frowned and replied, "I don't understand what you're complaining about. She's lived long enough! Can you stop being so dramatic and immature? Stop living in your fantasies!

"Fine, fine, I'm sorry. Stop looking so upset."

Chester walked toward me, trying to pull me closer, but I evaded him.

His expression turned dark, but I did not care. I held my grandmother's photo and started walking toward the room.

I would never set foot in this dirty place if it were not for the need to take a few things.

Susan blocked my way, looking confused. "Is this your grandmother's photo? She really died?"

As she spoke, she threw herself into Chester's arms, her brows furrowed. "What's the point of keeping her photo?"

She then pointed at the photo in my hands and continued, "Chester, does she not want us to be happy? Why else would she die today?

"Maybe we should burn this photo. I am afraid it will curse our baby."

I was stunned, my eyes filled with disbelief.

Was she pregnant too?

Hearing this, Chester lit a lighter and walked toward me.

"Don't you dare, Chester. This is the last photo of my grandmother!" I panicked and took a step back as he approached.

Chester chuckled coldly at my words. "Why not? You wanted to harm my child with this photo!

"I'll burn off the last photo so you can't harm anyone anymore!"

Unfortunately, men outpowered women most of the time. Chester snatched the photo from me in no time.

As Chester was about to drop the photo, my mind went blank for a moment, and I quickly stomped on his foot with the sharp heel of my shoe.

As he cried out in pain, I snatched the photo back.

Chester glared at me with anger and kicked me in the knee. "You wretch!"

I collapsed to the ground with a loud thud, my knee hit the hard floor.

The pain was so intense that I could hardly breathe, but I held the photo tightly in my arms out of instinct.

"Chester!" Susan hurried over to Chester's side. "Call a doctor! Chester is badly hurt!"

With that, she glared at me. "You're heartless! How could you hurt Chester, who sacrificed so much for you, just for that ominous photo? You truly are vicious!"

I tried to get up, but the pain from my broken bones made my lower body go numb. I could only remain in that humiliating position.

Tears fell uncontrollably from my eyes and dropped onto my grandmother's photo.

It was not just for myself but also for my grandmother.

Once, my grandmother had treated Chester so well that I had been jealous, but Chester repaid her kindness with such hatred.

"Why did you have to force my grandmother to die with regrets at my wedding?

"My grandmother saved you from starving during the flood disaster years ago. She gave up her food for you. Is this how you repay her kindness?

"Leave me alone. Leave my grandmother alone!"

"Shut up!" Chester stood up, looking down at me, then slapped me hard across the face.

I fell to the ground, my face swollen and burned.

He squatted and patted the swollen side of my face contemptuously. "You better know your place, Jess Harper."

Chester's strikes grew more intense, and my body began to sway.

He grabbed my neck with one hand, using the other to slap my face.

"It's just some rotten food. Stop the guilt-tripping."

His slaps intensified, the slapping sounds echoing throughout the house.

"I provided you with everything you wanted for all these years. I met every request you made and even gave myself to you!"

He became even more furious, his eyes bloodshot, his force so strong that it felt like he might kill me.

"Were these not enough? Huh? Were they not enough?! I already apologized to you. What more do you want from me?!"

I could not breathe, my neck feeling like it would snap.

I was unable to do anything except hold onto the photo tightly.

Susan ran over, pretending to defend Chester.

"Don't misunderstand Chester. He really is in a tough spot. He told me you're his only wife. He married me just for the sake of the baby. The baby can't be born as an illegitimate child.

"It's fine if you have no idea how much he loves and cares for you. But why make things worse?"

Susan's words made Chester angrier.

"You're five years older than Susan, Jess! Why can't you understand?!"

His face twisted in fury, gripping my neck and slowly lifting me off the ground.

"Give me the photo, then kneel and apologize to Susan. I'll let bygones be bygones, and you will still be my real wife."

As I was about to pass out, Chester let out a cold laugh and released his grip.

I collapsed to the ground and gasped for air.

"Dream on, Chester." I struggled to reach the fruit knife on the side table nearby, and I tried to stab him, which incensed him even more.

"Is this what you want?!"

He picked up a stool and slammed it hard onto me. I was knocked to the floor, and the fruit knife flew from my hand.

He stomped my hand harshly, grinding it underfoot until I heard my bones crack.

As if that was not enough for him, he picked up the chair again and slammed it on my lower back.

The impact was so intense that cold sweat broke out on my body. My body shook uncontrollably.

Soon, I felt liquid flowing from my body, soaking part of my pants.

The excruciating pain paralyzed me. I helplessly felt the increasing dampness beneath me, the smell of blood growing stronger.

I could clearly sense the baby in me was slipping away. I wanted to call for help.

However, Chester's hateful gaze and Susan's mocking smile stopped me from doing so.

I held back my tears and the rising taste of blood with all my strength while I held the photo tightly.

I tried to curl up, but I failed. The blood flowed even faster.

Finally, I could not hold back any longer and spat a large mouthful of blood. A small portion splattered onto Susan.

"Ah!" Susan screamed in shock and hid behind Chester. She grabbed his clothes, causing him to flare up with even more rage.

"You just can't stop acting like you're the victim, huh Jess?" He kicked my stomach.

"You love to act, huh?"

I coughed up more blood with each of his kicks. He only stopped until I could not cough any longer.

Chester grabbed my chin as though he wanted to crush it.

"Stopped coughing, have you? Have you run out of blood?

"Your acting is terrible, Jess! You're strong on most days. How can you be so weak now? Are you trying to extort me?"

At this point, my pants were soaked, turning into blood-stained trousers, a dark, eerie shade of red. A pool of blood began to collect beneath me.

Susan screamed again, her voice even more shrill than before, as if she were the one being tortured.

"Chester! She's bleeding down there! She must've been fooling around behind your back and caught some filthy disease!"

She pinched her nose and said, "It stinks. My baby and I can't stand scenes like this—"

I glared at them and hissed, "I'm pregnant!"

Chester froze, then quickly sneered. He shielded Susan behind him.

"You really are a clever, calculating woman! If you were carrying my child, you would've gone to my mother and screamed for your share of the family inheritance long ago. Why would you still be acting here with us?

"You're just jealous that Susan is pregnant! You probably filled your pants with blood packets!"

I shook my head and laughed, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably. Even my whole body trembled with each laugh.

Blood continued to pour out of my mouth and dripped down my chin.

I looked at him, my eyes dull as I said, "Bring me to the hospital, and the truth will speak for itself. I'll beg for Susan's forgiveness if I'm lying!"

He lifted his foot and stomped on my lower back, speaking slowly, gritting his teeth with each word, "I don't have time for this, Jess. Even if you die today, you must apologize to Susan before you go!

"And this blasted photo! That old lady bothered me a great deal, alive or dead. I'll burn her last photo today!"

He grabbed the photo from my hands and slammed it to the ground.

My heart broke along with the photo frame. The shards pierced my face, drawing blood, but I felt nothing.

I screamed, and I managed to break free from Chester's foot with unknown strength. I grabbed a shard of glass from the floor and lunged at him.

He was shocked and kicked me away.

Susan's face turned pale. She quickly lifted his shirt to check, instantly bursting into tears and sobbing uncontrollably.

"You're badly hurt, Chester! What do we do?"

I watched them coldly, my teeth grinding so hard that they almost shattered.

It was only a small scrape the size of a coin on his stomach. The blood had stopped in no time.

Meanwhile, my palm was nearly severed, the bone visible beneath the skin, held together by a shred of flesh.

My repeated resistance and Susan's taunting pushed Chester over the edge.

He stormed over and shoved the bookshelf onto me.

I felt every bone in my body snap, and I could not hold back a scream.

He glared at me to ensure I could no longer move, then raised his foot and pressed it on my face.

He then set the photo on fire right in front of me.

The photo turned to ashes in an instant. My heart was crushed with sorrow.

"I'll kill you, Chester! I'll kill you!"